April 26, 2024 

ELGIN - School District U-46 celebrated 30 seniors Thursday night during the annual Superintendent’s Scholarship reception and awards ceremony. These members of the Class of 2024 are first-generation college-bound students, and each will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

“The Superintendent’s Scholarship recipients, already role models and leaders in their high schools, are committed to the promise of a better life, powered by post-secondary education,” said Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Johnson. “We look forward to watching them continue to succeed in college and beyond.”

The students, who are spotlighted in this video, will graduate next month from the District’s five comprehensive high schools: Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin and Streamwood. They attended the reception along with their families, principals, U-46 administrators, Board of Education members, and members of the U-46 Educational Foundation's Board. 

Since the Superintendent's Scholarship fund was established in 2012 through the Educational Foundation, about 300 U-46 graduates, including this year’s recipients, have been honored. 

This year’s scholarships were funded by a grant from the Seigle Foundation, as part of its commitment to preparing young people for success.

Eligible seniors submitted applications for the scholarship this past winter. The application included their high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from an adult (a principal, teacher, academic advisor, employer, religious leader, etc.), and a personal essay. A panel of judges reviewed the more than 70 applications. The selected 30 students are bound for post-secondary institutions including the University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Notre Dame University, and DePaul University.  

During the scholarship reception on Thursday night, held at the U-46 Welcome Center, the students were encouraged to visit with administrators and supporters of the U-46 Educational Foundation.

Prior to the reception, the students participated in a networking workshop led by Mike Lee, president of KCT Credit Union and a member of the Foundation’s board. He emphasized the skills needed to make a good first impression and demonstrate self-confidence in preparation for future opportunities. 

The 30 Class of 2024 Superintendent's Scholarship recipients are as follows:

 

Bartlett High School

Bianca Bil

Kimberly Diaz

Rudra Patel

Janine Marie Villegas

 

Elgin High School

Enrique Aguila

Elvin Arinaitwe

Gabriela Bautista

Stephanie Bautista

Bryanna Cole

Keyla Fregoso

Wendy Hernandez

Victoria Martinez

Esmeralda Medrano

Stephanie Nieves

Fatima Salazar

Nicole Smola

James Vargas

Emily Vega

Yahaira Zepeda

 

Larkin High School

Athena Arellanes

Ericka Bonilla

John Catalan

Tyler Luu

Julissa Martinez

Nicole Roman

Kimberly Ta

 

 

South Elgin High School

Nehmat Kaur

Nicole Maslon

 

Streamwood High School

Miranda Hermez

Alexis Serrano